The LuLac Edition #735, Feb. 21st, 2009

PHOTO INDEX: DISTRICT JUSTICE WILLIAM AMESBURY, DEMOCRATIC CONTROLLER ASPIRANT BOB MORGAN NOW AND BOB MORGAN THEN. (AMESBURY PHOTO FROM TIMES LEADER, BOB MORGAN NOW FROM CITIZEN'S VOICE, BOB MORGAN THEN FROM LULAC ARCHIVES.)

SEEKING CONTROL

The race for Luzerne County Controller is heating up. On the Democratic side, the presumptive candidates are Anthony Rostock, Russ Bigus, former GOP candidate for State Senator in the 20th District and Bob Morgan, a financial consultant with PNC Investments in Wilkes-Barre. Morgan has been active in Democratic politics since he was a teenager, heading up the Luzerne County Young Democrats and was active in the 1980 Kennedy for President effort.

On the GOP side, former Democratic Commissioner Edd Brominski has announced for the seat as a member of the GOP. Whether the Brominski name still carries weight among a new generation of voters remains to be seen. Also on the GOP side, Wilkes Barre taxpayer advocate Walter Griffith wants to run for this seat despite being wooed by the party to run for Prothonotary. Attorney Nanda Palissery is also considering running for controller on the Republican ticket.

The GOP seems to be doing what it does best, make a primary race interesting. Whether that will help in the general election is another matter.

AMESBURY IN

Before a crowd of 500 that even surprised him, District Justice William Amesbury has entered the race for Judge of the Common Pleas Court. He becomes the 12th candidate to enter the race. Amesbury's crowd speaks volumes about his regard and popularity. Amesbury became District Justice in 2001 by defeating a member of the politically powerful O'Donnell clan. He did it by highlighting his activity in youth sports in South Wilkes Barre. Garnering the GOP nomination in the primary, Amesbury ran away with the general election. This candidate is not one to be unestimated.

*Disclaimer: Amesbury was a client of mine in the 2001 race when I was a sales rep for Cable Rep Advertising.

HALEY'S AN IDIOT

I usually don't call politicians and Chief Executives of states idiots but Governor Haley Barbour of Mississippi deserves this one. At the National Governor's Conference, Barbour said he would refuse federal stimulus money for unemployment compensation because he feared the wrong people would use it. Huh? Does this moron actually think people in his state want to lose their job on purpose? He has a responsiblity to take care of his residents, some unemployed. I don't know anyone who becomes unemployed by choice! But hey, this is Mississippi where the average intelligence rate is slightly above a chimp. If the dumbest drunk in Nanticoke moved to Barbour's state, he'd be king! And these people were still making threats to lynch people in the 60s, so I guess I was hoping for a bit much.